Cherry Springs State Park is nearly as remote and wild today as it was two centuries ago. The 48-acre park is named for its large stands of black cherry trees; it's surrounded by the 262,000-acre Susquehannock State Forest. The Susquehanna Trail, with 85 miles of backpacking and hiking trails, passes nearby.

With 30 campsites and a sanitary dump station, Cherry Springs is a haven for campers. The campground is open from mid-April until December. Reservations are not accepted. The picnic area, south of S.R. 44, is where you'll find an unusual log pavilion. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939, it features two covered dining areas, with fireplaces, connected by a covered breezeway. White pine and Norway spruce trees surround the pavilion. An old apple orchard with picnic tables and charcoal grills is nearby.

The absence of light pollution and the extreme darkness of the night sky led astronomers to proclaim Dark Sky Province Park, located within Cherry Springs, the best place in the northeastern U.S. for amateur stargazing. A large observation field atop a mountain gives a 360: view of the sky. The New Mexico-based National Public Observatory made Cherry Springs the flagship park for its Stars-n-Parks program, which protects the night skies in America's public parks, brings educational astronomy programming to those parks, and promotes eco-tourism.